Research Fellow: 3DTreePrint Project Full-time NEW

Research Fellow: 3DTreePrint Project

University College London (UCL) is one of the world's top universities. Based in the heart of London, it is a dynamic, outward-looking institution. At its establishment in 1826, UCL was radical and responsive to the needs of society, and this ethos – that excellence should go hand-in-hand with enriching society – continues today. The UCL Department of Geography is a leading UK and global department, with a heritage of excellence in research, renowned for its innovative and interdisciplinary research to understanding complex global challenges. It brings together expertise in physical and human geography to explore critical issues such as climate change, sustainable development, and social justice. The department fosters an interdisciplinary approach, equipping students and researchers with the skills to critically engage with the complex interactions between people, places, and environments.

This post sits within ARIA's The Resilient Climate and Ecosystems opportunity seed route. ARIA (Advanced Research + Innovation Agency) is a UK research funding agency that supports ambitious research at the edge of the possible. Its opportunity spaces identify underexplored areas where new scientific and engineering capabilities could lead to major breakthroughs. This post sits within the ARIA's The Resilient Climate and Ecosystems opportunity seed route. Opportunity seeds provide funding of up to £500,000 for individual research teams to pursue high-potential, early-stage ideas aligned with an opportunity space but outside the scope of a larger programme. The seed mechanism is intended to give research teams the flexibility to explore new technical pathways that might otherwise fall between conventional funding routes. We are seeking a research fellow who will join the team and will work on the 3DTreePrint project led by Dr Martin Mokroš at UCL Geography. The 3DTreePrint project pairs low-cost LiDAR with automated workflows to make detailed 3D measurement of trees affordable, repeatable and scalable, building “3D structural fingerprints” to track ecosystem resilience over time. Main partners of the project are Forest Research, Forestry England, Earthwatch Europe and Polish Academy of Sciences. The full job description and person specification can be accessed at the bottom of this page. This is a full time, fixed term post with funding available until 31 May 2028. The appointment is available to start on the 1st of December 2026. Funding is available at Grade 7, spine point 32 (including London Allowance). Informal enquiries may be made to Dr Martin Mokroš (m.mokros@ucl.ac.uk). If you have any queries regarding the application process, or if you need reasonable adjustments or a more accessible format to apply for this job online, please contact the department's research administration team: geog.research@ucl.ac.uk

The successful candidate will have a PhD (awarded or close to submission) in computer science, robotics, geomatics, remote sensing, forest science or a closely related discipline, with a substantial computational component. You will also need to demonstrate:

• Substantial experience of processing point-cloud data from terrestrial and/or mobile laser scanning in forest, woodland or other structurally complex vegetated environments.
• Advanced programming skills in Python and/or C++, including the ability to read, adapt, extend, debug and test existing open-source codebases rather than only applying them as supplied.

Please see the full job description and person specification at the bottom of this page for more information. This role is eligible for hybrid working with a minimum time in site to be determined between successful candidate and line manager. We will consider applications to work on a flexible and job share basis wherever possible. This appointment is subject to UCL Terms and Conditions of Service for Research and Professional Services Staff. Please visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/human-resources/conditions-service-research-teaching-and-professional-services-staff for more information.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:

• 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave plus 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• On-Site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits to find out more.

The Department is committed to the values of equality, diversity and inclusion and we have an active Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and networks for BME, LGBTQ, and disabled/neurodiverse staff and students. The Department recognises the importance of family-friendly working, and we try, as far as possible, to organise meetings and events with staff responsibilities as parents and carers in mind. In 2022, the Department was awarded an Athena SWAN Silver award in recognition of our advancement of gender equality: representation, progression, and success. Above all the Department aims to be a supportive environment for both its staff and students. More information can be found here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/social-historical-sciences/geography/about/equality-diversity-and-inclusion

Available documents:

• download: ARIA 3DTreePrint Research Fellow – Job Description.pdf